The invention relates to a driver device for adjusting interior trim parts belonging to a motor vehicle, in particular, parts of a motor vehicle seat, according to the general class of the primary claim.
Driver devices are already known with which various interior trim parts of a motor vehicle can be adjusted using only one motor. Depending on the number of interior trim parts to be adjusted, a corresponding number of couplings will be used for this purpose that make an independent motion of these interior trim parts possible.
A disadvantage of this is that each individual coupling must be actuated using a separate coupling actuator. This is a high material expenditure that not only generates costs, but also entails a high complexity of such driver devices.
The driver device according to the invention for adjusting interior trim parts belonging to a motor vehicle having the features of the primary claims not only has the advantage that various driven parts can be driven by one single electric drive motor, it also has the further decisive advantage that the various couplings required for this can be controlled by way of only one coupling actuator.
This eliminates the need to use one coupling actuator for each coupling, which provides obvious weight and cost advantages. Moreover, the driver device can be designed to be very compact and relatively simple, which represents a further advantage.
As a result of the measures indicated in the subclaims, advantageous further developments of the device according to the primary claim are possible.
It is an advantage, for instance, if the driven unit includes a coupling control shaft that cooperates with the coupling actuator and the at least two couplings for the selective actuation of at least two couplings. In a technically very simple form, this makes the selective actuation and/or control of the individual couplings possible by way of the central coupling actuator.
A further advantage is when the coupling control shaft includes cams that are offset by 120xc2x0 from each other when three couplings are present. The individual couplings can be actuated by adjusting these cams; together with the coupling control shaft they represent a type of extended arm of the coupling actuator.
Each of the at least two couplings includes a first coupling element and a second coupling element. When engaged, these two coupling elements enter into a frictionally engaged connection and ensure that a rotary motion caused by the drive motor is transmitted to the corresponding driven parts. In order to ensure this transmission of the rotary motion, second driven parts are integrated in the first coupling elements in an advantageous manner, which second driven parts are connected with the first driven part of the drive motor.
A toothed belt is suited for use to make the connection, but any type of connecting chain or direct connecting forms such as forms having gears are also feasible.
The engagement of the second coupling elements in the rotating, first coupling elements of the at least two couplings with the aid of the coupling control shaft makes a frictionally engaged connection possible that is transmitted to each of the third driven parts of the second coupling element.
Each of these third driven parts can include square sockets, for instance, which are excellently suited to accommodate flexible shafts, for instance, in order to transmit the adjacent torques to the respective interior trim parts.
A further decisive advantage is produced when the at least two couplings basically lie on a line. Not only because the various couplings can then be controlled using a single control shaft, but also because this arrangement of the driven parts allows the driver device to be integrated in the existing seat structures and makes corresponding new developments superfluous.
It is also advantageous when each of the second driven parts has a different diameter. This allows the reduction of the drive to vary, and it also provides a possibility for adjusting and adapting the various interior trim parts to be adjusted. For example, the fore/aft and height adjustment of a motor vehicle seat will require greater effort than adjusting the tilt of a seatback, for instance.
In general, the reduction can also be selected in such a way that the flexible shafts, for instance, with which torques are transmitted to the individual interior trim parts, can rotate relatively slowly, thereby minimizing noise problems in advance.
The third driven parts of each of the second coupling elements can also include gears or similar parts, of course, that are suited to transmitting a torque.